Area Rugs Buying Guide

A genuine hand made rug can visually integrate or harmonize diverse elements in any decor or can re-energize a room.

Below are various factors to consider for purchasing and decorating with a rug

Size of the Rug - Area to be covered

Size up the room and the area you want to cover.

The most common dimensions for area rugs are 4'x6' and 6'x9'. Area rugs add depth and dimension to large rooms and are a wonderful addition under tables.

Smaller area rugs and scatter rugs can be ideal for adorning smaller spaces, for instance a hearth, a bedside, the area in front of a kitchen sink.

Bedroom

I don't recommend a room size Persian or Oriental area rug for the bedroom. Most of the pattern would be hidden under the bed in the dark making the rug subject to moth damage. Instead, consider using several area rugs.

You can use a rug on both sides of the bed and one at the foot of the bed. You could also use several scatter rugs to fill areas around the bed. This will actually compliment your furnishings better and it will cost less.

Furnishings

Begin with the end in mind. Try to visualize the rooms finished look. Do you prefer a room rich with colors and textures or the sparse uncluttered look?

Keep in mind that the rug will add a large splash of color to the room. You will need to select your rug first, and then select upholstery that will blend with the rug. Furniture should boost the rug design or colors found in the rug.

Next comes window treatments and walls; neutral shades are recommended.

Elements of an area rugs design can be further incorporated into the overall design scheme. For example, if you have a rug in a floral print, add flowers or framed prints in similar colors.

Should your focal point be furniture, choose a rug to pick up the colors used in your furnishing patterns. If coordinated by color you can mix patterns.

The general rule is to use one rug, it will coordinate the room and it will help in selecting fabric for curtains and furniture.

If you have a very large room, you can use more than one rug. The rugs can be used to separate the room. The designs of these area rugs should be different enough to create spatial separation, but similar in color and quality to maintain the integrity of the room space.

• One needs to be dominant in size.
• They should be similar in at least color, size, and design
• Smaller rugs should not be clones of the big rug

Color

If redecorating an already furnished room, choose a rug to pick up the colors used in your furnishing patterns. Paint or paper the walls in colors found in the rug when color coordinating.Look for a rug that has commonality with the existing color of the walls. If you are using a rug with a bold, overall design it can be the focal point of the room with a chair and sofa in subdued or solid patterns. Deep colored rugs will give a coziness to the room, while light colors will make the room look more spacious.

Durability

For floor rugs wool is usually a preferred choice as it resists daily wear better than synthetics. Wool has many desirable qualities- deep, rich color tones, high durability and relative ease of care.

Silk rugs are better suited for throws, walls etc. The living room is the ideal room to showcase silk rugs.

Chromium dyes are strong and will also deliver durability of color.

Vegetable dyes will give the rug a patina of color, a very attractive and casual look.

Shape

Your area rugs shape should be determined by your decorating style. There's more than the rectangular rug to choose from. A octagonal or circular shaped rug will add elegance and flair.

Other considerations:

If you choose a medallion design area rug, it should be centered in the room and directly under the chandelier.

Be sure that rug corners do not extend into high traffic areas, this will cause a safety hazard. If the rug you have chosen has a fringe on it, make sure it’s sewn on well. Look at the back of a rug, this will usually tell if the rug is machine or handmade. If the fibers run straight up and down and are stiff, it's a machine rug.

In all rooms avoid having the corner of the rug end up in the middle of the doors or archway openings. For smaller rooms, you will need to choose a small pattern. It will give the room the appearance of being larger.

Be sure to choose an underlay, not only will it absorb noise and the impact of feet, it will reduce wear and tear on the rug. You will need to rotate rugs end to end every year to equalize wear. Avoid direct sunlight because oriental rugs will fade, the same as upholstery.